Steady guide for a push-pointer



Dec. 13, 1955 w K R 2,726,756

STEADY GUIDE FOR A PUSH-POINTER Filed Feb. 1, 1952 41 l iTJII I B l 2 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. H IEEQ E. l l/l/ 151K I BY 0 67C? e17 A TTORNEY I Dec. 13, 1955 w. E. KERR 2,726,756

STEADY GUIDE FOR A PUSH-POINTER Filed Feb. 1. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I *1: m L II IJ I it INVENTOR. Wallace 5. if an BYWI ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,726,756 STEADY GUIDE FOR A PUSH-POINTER Wallace E. Kerr, Poland, Ohio Application February 1, 1952, Serial No. 269,555 7 Claims. (Cl. 205-4) This invention relates to the manufacture of drawn steel products and more particularly to a push-pointer mechanism as used on a drawbench and specifically a steady guide for said push-pointer.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a steady guide for a push-pointer which will enable the pointer to push metal stock through a die with a lesser number of strokes than has heretofore been possible by maintaining the metal stock in alignment with the die during the pushing operation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a steady guide for a push-pointer motivated by the pushing grip device and acting to maintain a progressive metal stock steadying position between the die and the progressing pushing grip device.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a steady guide for a push-pointer motivated by the pushing grip device which will maintain a progressive stock steadying position approximately mid-distance between the die and the progressing pushing grip device.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a steady guide for a push-pointer motivated by the pushing grip device thereof and incorporating speed reducing, interconnecting means for initially positioning the guide in the path of the grip device and progressively motivating said guide out of the path of the said device.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a steady guide for a push-pointer incorporating means interconnecting the grip device and the steady guide and wherein said means includes provision accommodating displacement of the guides from the metal stock path.

The steady guide for a push-pointer disclosed herein will be recognized by those skilled in the art as being used in conjunction with a push-pointer on a drawbench or similar metal stock drawing machine as used for initially pushing a sufficient length of the metal stock through the die to enable the stock to be gripped by the drawbench apparatus.

It is well known that in the reduction and finishing of various metal shapes and particularly bars, rod, etc., of Various sizes, a drawbench operation is performed which comprises pulling the metal shape through an appropriate die to reduce the metal shape to a uniform size throughout its length.

It is also known in the art that in order that the metal stock may be initially pushed through the die a sufficient distance for the gripping mechanism of the drawbench or other similar machine to obtain a satisfactory grip thereon, the leading end of the metal stock must be initially pushed through the die a sufiicient distance for such purpose or, alternately, be reduced in diameter sufiicient to enable it to be pushed through the die.

In the past such pushing of the stock through the die has necessitated the use of a push-pointing machine capable of gripping the metal stock close to the die and pushing it forwardly through the die with a plurality of short forward motions as necessitated by the need of removing the gripping device from the stock and replacing it rearwardly as the operation continues. The increased frictional coeflicient resulting from the stopping of the metal stock in the die as it is progressively moved therethrough by such methods frequently freezes the metal stock to the die suificiently to cause the succeeding forward motion of the push-pointing device to bend the stock which precludes further pushing of the stock through the die as even if such pushing could be accomplished, the stock would not line up with the grippers of the drawbench which are disposed immediately adjacent the opposite face of the die for the reception of the extruded metal stock.

The present invention therefore relates to an improved steady guide which is positioned between the die and the pushing grip device and thereby serves to hold the metal stock against sideward displacement or bending and thus enables the pushing grip device to be engaged upon the metal stock a further distance from the end thereof than would otherwise be the case and thereby makes possible the push-pointing of the desired section of metal stock with one or a very few forward motions in contrast to the multiplicity of alternate forward and backward motions heretofore referred to.

The steady guide is so arranged that it advances progressively with the stock moved toward the die by the pushing grip device of the push-pointer and maintains its approximate given position between the die and the pushing grip device at all times. The device therefore results in the rapid and inexpensive push-pointing of a suficient length of metal stock through the die to enable the same to be gripped by the pulling grip of the drawbench or similar machine and saves the stock which would otherwise be lost if the push-pointing operation were eliminated and the forging or other reduction of the stock substituted, as has been practiced in the art.

Additionally, the efiicient guiding of the metal stock insures against deflection or bending of the stock and therefore insures its proper registry with the gripping mechanism of the drawbench and avoids the difficulties and delay which otherwise occur if the alignment of the stock and gripping mechanism of the drawbench fails by reason of the deflection of the stock during the pushpointing operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure,'which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a vertical section of a portion of a pushpointing mechanism with parts broken away and parts in cross section and illustrating the steady guide in position thereon.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 22 of Figure 1. Section line 11 indicates the cross section of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on the longitudinal center line of a push-pointing mechanism showing the steady rest in position thereon.

By referring to the drawings and Figures 1 and 2 in particular it will be seen that portions of a push-pointing mechanism are disclosed and include a frame 10 having a die stand 11 thereon and a die container 12 positioned in a hemispherical recess 13 thereof. An opening 14 in the die stand 11 registers with an opening 15 in the die container 12 and multiple part dies 16 are illustrated in position in the die container as held therein by wedges 17. It will. occur to those skilled in the art that the die stand and dies disclosed are conventional in the art and that the hemispherical die container enables the same to be swiveled as by screws (not shown) to attain stock straightness.

The dies 16 in the openings and 14 in the die container 12 and die stand 11 provide a horizontal passageway for the metal stock. Those skilled in the art will observe that the die stand 11 is positioned immediately adjacent a drawbench (not shown) or other similar device for pulling metal stock through the dies 16 and that in order for such drawbench, and specifically the pulling grips thereof, to obtain a hold on the metal stock to be drawn, it is necessary that the stock be first pushed through the multiple part dies 16 a sufficient distance to enable the grippers of the drawbench to be positioned thereupon.

.The frame 10 extends to the left of the portion thereof shown in'Figure l and as better illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, and provides a longitudinal support for a carriage 18, the uppermost portion 18A of which positions grip devices 19 on the longitudinal center line of the opening formed by the multiple part dies 16 heretofore referred to. The grip devices 19 may comprise suitable gripping jaws as known in the art and capable of engaging metal stock positioned therethrough and advancing it forwardly through the opening defined by the multiple part dies 16. The rearmost portion of the upper part 18A of the carriage 18 forms a socket 20 in which an upwardly and rearwardly extending arm 21 is positioned.

As illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, the carriage 18, including the upper part 18A thereof and the grip devices 19, is adapted to be advanced toward the dies 16 on the longitudinal center line of the opening defined thereby and suitable means such as a hydraulic cylinder 22 is provided and connected by means of a piston rod 23 with the carriage 18 to effect such motion. The remainder of the push-pointer mechanism may be that known in the art and is not otherwise disclosed herein.

Those skilled in the art will recognize that metal stock positioned through the upper portion 13A of the carriage 18 and specifically through the grip devices 19 will be on the longitudinal center line of the'opening formed by the dies 16 and that when suitable pressure is introduced into the hydraulic cylinder 22, the piston rod 23 will move outwardly therefrom and such motion will be imparted to the carriage 18 and through the upper portion 18A and the grip devices 19 thereof move the metal stock to the right as shown in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings and through the dies.

In order that a suflicient length of the metal stock may be moved through the dies in one continuous motion and without bending or deflecting the same, a steady guide is provided between the upper portion 18A of the carriage 18 and the inner face of the multiple part dies 16.

The steady guide comprises a body member 24 having a pair of spaced, bifurcated, depending portions 25-25 thereon and a longitudinal bore 26 extending at right angles therethrough for the reception of a pivot pin 27 which is also engaged through bores 28-28 in spaced bosses 29-29 preferably formed on the die stand 11, as best shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. The bosses 29-29 can alternately be formed on the frame 10 ofthe push-pointer or any other stationary portion thereof adjacent the die 16. The body member 24 of the steady guide has a plurality of openings 30 therein near its uppermost edge and by means of which a removable and replaceable guide member 31 is mounted thereon as by means of bolt and nut assemblies 32-32.

The centermost portion of the body member 24 extends upwardly to form a vertical arm 33, the uppermost end of which is bifurcated as at 34 and provided with a transversely positioned bore 35 so that one end of a link 36 may be pivoted therein as by a pivot pin 37. The other end of the link 36 is slotted longitudinally as at 38 and the slot is engaged upon a pin 39 positioned in the bifurcated upper end 40 of the upwardly and rearwardly extending arm 21 heretofore referred to as mounted on and extending above the upper portion 18A of the carriage 18.

A handle 41 is formed on the link 36 and a portion of the arm 33 is cut away, as indicated at 42, to enable the same to move downwardly to a point near the upper portion 18A of the carriage 18 so as to clear the area of the workpiece in front of the die as Shown in dotted lines in the left hand portion of Figure l of the drawings.

It will be observed by referring to Figure 2 of the drawings that the guide 31 has a pair of vertically extending openings 43-43 therein which conform as to width,

to the shape of the metal blank to'be pushed through the dies 16, it being understood that as illustrated herein a pair of the die containers 12 are'mounted in side-by-side relation in the die stand 11 and that two sections of stock metal are pushed through the pair of dies thus provided simultaneously. It will occur to those skilled in the art that the apparatus may be utilized with any number of dies, the guide member 31 and/ or the body member 24 being removed and a similar steady guide substituted in such event. It will thus be seen that the steady guide for the push-pointer comprises the body member 24 with its replaceable guide member 31 and that the body member and the guide member 31 form a relatively flat platelike combination pivoted on the pivot pin 27 to the die frame 11 adjacent the vertical plane of the multiple part dies 16 and capable of moving into vertical alignment parallel therewith, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 of the drawings.

It will be seen that when metal stock is first engaged against the dies 16, the steady guide will be in the position shown in solid lines in Figure 1 of the drawings and r the motion will be conveyed by way of the arm 21, the a link 36 and the vertical arm 33 which are of lengths sufficient to position this interconnecting means of the device well above the path of the metal stock and whereby the guide plate 31 advances toward the die at approximatelyhalf the speed of the carriage 18 and more particularly the upper portion 18A thereof and the grip devices 19 and thereby maintains its approximate midposition between the grip devices 19 and the dies 16 at all times.

It will thus be seen-that the guide member 31 maintains a progressive metal stock steadying position midway between the die and the progressing grip devices 19 of the push-pointer and meets the several objects of the invention hereinbefore set forth.

It will also be observed that the link 36'is provided with means for displacing the steady guide 31 from the.

metal stock path so that the die 16 may be quickly accessible for polishing and size adjustment as well as for enabling the die container 12 to be adjusted. It will further be observed that the mounting of the steady guide on the die stand 11 enables the entire steady guide to' be readily disconnected and removed from the device to ac} commodate other stock set-ups. a a 7 Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. The combination of a push-pointer having a moyable stock gripping and pushing device and a stationary die, and a steady guide for metal stock to be pointed thereby, said steady guide comprising a plate-like body member positioned between said die and pushing grip device, the longitudinal lower edge of said plate-like body member pivotally mounted on a stationary horizontal portion of said push-pointer adjacent said die, an upwardly extending arm on said body member, a link connecting said arm and said stock gripping and pushing device and slotlike stock receiving formations on said body member.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 and wherein,

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 and wherein said plate-like body member with said stock receiving formations is movable in an arcuate path between said stock gripping and pushing device and said die and moves progressively therebetween when said stock gripping and pushing device moves, and wherein the stock receiving formations are formed vertically in the plate-like body member and inwardly from the upper edge thereof.

4. A steady guide for metal stock in a push-pointer having a movable stock gripping and pushing device, a die stand and a stationary die, said steady guide acting to hold said metal stock to be pointed by said push-pointer, said steady guide comprising a body member positioned between said die and pushing grip device, the lower edge of said body member pivotally mounted on a stationary portion of said die stand adjacent said die, an upwardly extending arm on said body member, a link connecting said arm and said stock gripping and pushing device, and metal stock receiving formations in said body member.

5. In a push pointer having a die stand and a die mounted thereon, the combination of a pushing grip de vice and a steady guide for metal stock to be pointed thereby, said steady guide for said metal stock comprising a body member having stock guiding formations formed therein, said body member being pivotally attached to said die stand for arcuate movement toward and away from said die and between said die and said pushing grip device, and linkage pivotally afiixed to said body memher and to said pushing grip device for transmitting motion of said pushing grip device to said body member.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 and wherein the metal stock guiding formations in said body member comprise slot-like openings shaped to correspond with the width of said metal stock.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein the body member is pivoted at its lower edge to said die stand and the metal stock guiding formations are formed in said body member vertically and inwardly from its upper edge.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

